Father's Day
by Lily Hanson
Summary: Emma doesn't know what to do this father's day. Fortunately Mr. Moran is there to help her. He's always been there for her.


_Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Megaforce. This story is fan-made._

_Author's Note: Just a little story for father's day. It is part of my Megaforce Series but takes place before during __**Megaforce: Lives Behind The Masks**_.

On this particular Sunday, Emma didn't enjoy her ride through the woods. Her bike couldn't cheer her up. The adorable little rabbits she had seen on her trail couldn't bring a smile to her face. The news that Ms. Chesterfield would be starting a more efficient recycling program through the school in September was barely a fleeting though in her mind.

Today, the only thing Emma could think about was her father. It was for that reason she was sad.

Her father wasn't a bad man. Her father was just… irresponsible and hurt. He had never been a great father to her, and it had taken her until recently to really figure that out. He put his career ahead of her. He put his goals ahead of her. He put himself ahead of her.

And then one day something clicked in his mind. A call from a lawyer and a threat that his rights as a father were going to be taken from him made him come home to find her. Unfortunately, Emma had already found a new home and a new family. She was happy where she was, and when her father wanted to take her back with him, she didn't want to go.

A fight had ensued between her father and her new family. A fight that ended in disaster. Distraught that his daughter would be taken from him, Mr. Goodall had done the only thing he could think of doing to even out the score. He bought himself a gun, and with that gun, threatened to take away the daughter of the man who wanted to take her.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Emma cared deeply for her new family. She always had. When her father threatened the daughter of her new family, he had threatened her best friend.

Emma could have handled a custody battle. Emma could have handled being forced to move to New York and live with her father until she graduate high school. Those were survivable.

Loosing Gia? Knowing her father had pointed a gun at Gia with the intent of not just hurting her, but killing her; Emma still had nightmares.

Her father wasn't with her on this Sunday. He had been arrested. He was in prison. He wasn't coming out. The Morans were doing all they could to make sure of it. One thing Emma had learned, and continued learning, was that no one threatened the Moran family and got away with it.

Emma didn't want to visit her father. She didn't want to see him or send him a card. There would be no phone calls. There would be no happy father's day.

This year, Emma wouldn't have a father's day.

"The bike moves a hell of a lot faster when you pedal," she heard a voice and looked over her shoulder to see Mr. Moran had come out to the forest. She got off her bike and turned around to greet him.

"I thought you were at home. Gia got you something really amazing for father's day."

"Presents are great," Mr. Moran chuckled and pointed to a log. He and Emma sat down, "But they mean nothing without family. Have you been out here all day? I haven't seen you yet."

"I thought I'd let you spend some time with Gia today," Emma shrugged. "You know, father's day and all."

"Right," Mr. Moran nodded his head. "It would be a good idea to spend father's day with the person who made me a father. It might also be good to spend father's day with the woman who made me a father."

"That's what I thought…"

"There's an open space at the table," Mr. Moran said. "I'm kind of missing a daughter."

"Where's Gia?"

"You, silly," Mr. Moran playfully nudged Emma. "It's not father's day unless I'm celebrating with both my girls."

"But I'm not really…"

"I love you, Emma. You're just as important to me as Gia. I've been looking out for you since the day you were born. I've taking you into my home. I've treated you like family. You are one of the reasons I celebrate father's day. So come home."

"But I…"

"C'mon," Mr. Moran stood up and held out his hand. Emma looked to it and then up at Mr. Moran.

"What do you have there?" Mr. Moran asked five year old Emma as she came home with Gia and Mrs. Moran from school. Emma had a picture of a butterfly she had painted. She held it up for Mr. Moran to see.

"I made it."

"Everyone in class made one," Gia said and took her butterfly picture out of her bag to show her dad. There was an A in the corner of her paper, with the words "Excellent Work, Gia!" written underneath.

Mr. Moran smiled at his daughter and then at Emma, "What did the teacher give you?"

"B… I didn't finish in time."

"She was too busy telling the boys how butterflies weren't stupid," Gia rolled her eyes. Her father pointed to the kitchen.

"There's a snack for you girls in the kitchen. Then you can go play."

"Thanks, daddy!" Gia threw her assignment on the floor in favour of the snack in the kitchen. Mrs. Moran went after Gia to scold her about leaving her things lying around.

Emma looked down at her painting, "The boys called butterflies stupid."

"Butterflies aren't stupid," Mr. Moran knelt before Emma and smiled.

"I know. I told them butterflies were special. I talked all about how the laterpillars turn into butterflies. Jimmy just painted my nose."

"I thought I saw a little blue," Mr. Moran gently poked Emma's nose.

"I even told him about the monarchs and how they migrate!"

"They do!"

"They use the sun to know where they are going."

"Really? And the boys _still_ thought butterflies were stupid?"

"Yeah! Can you believe them?"

Mr. Moran chuckled and shook his head, "Well, I guess those boys have no taste. Give me your picture."

"Why?"

"Art goes on the fridge, remember."

"But I got a B. Gia got an A."

"Art is all about the message," Mr. Moran grabbed a magnet and placed Emma's picture right in the middle of the fridge. "There we go. Now go eat your snack."

"You really like my picture? Even if I'm not done."

"Maybe you can finish it later. We have paint somewhere in this house."

"But daddy is going to pick me up…"

"Daddy's working late tonight," Mr. Moran said. "You're sleeping over."

"She is!" Gia cried out happily and smiled through a mouthful of cookies. Emma perked up suddenly.

"I am!"

"I already picked up your pyjamas and your teddy bear. We'll have painting time after dinner."

"Yes!" Emma smiled and skipped over to the table.

In the present day, Emma smiled up at Mr. Moran, but instead of accepting his hand she reached into her bag.

"I did get you something," she handed him a box. "I know it's not much, but, it did make me think of you. I wasn't sure, but Gia said I should get it."

Mr. Moran opened the box and pulled out a coffee mug, "World's Greatest Dad?"

He knelt again and pulled Emma into his arms. She put her head on his shoulder and smiled.

"Thanks for everything, Joe. Happy father's day."


End file.
